LED walls are increasingly popular in worship spaces, and they have a variety of uses. However, like everything else in your church, they need to be cleaned. If you’ve cleaned windows, TVs, or computer screens, you know that the irony is, cleaning them may leave dust, streaks, or film that would reduce the clarity you rely on. So how do you clean your LED screens properly? We’ll break it down step by step.
Turn it off
With all electronics, from phones and computers to TVs and monitors, turn off the device before cleaning it. This holds true for LED walls and other products. There are multiple reasons for doing this, most of them related to the interaction of electricity and moisture, as well as the sensitivity of the screen, but really all you have to do is just remember to turn off the unit before you clean it. Note: To be extra safe, if you can, unplug the unit.
Choose the right solution
There are many solutions and cleaners out there to use on your electronics, and many of them are fine. But really, all you need is a solution of rubbing alcohol and water. Maybe you mixed up this solution at the start of the pandemic when cleaning products were in short supply. If not, you can use this solution to not only clean your screen, but also sanitize surfaces to prevent transmission of cold, flu, and other viruses. Fill a spray bottle with 2/3 rubbing alcohol and 1/3 water. Your local store is likely to have rubbing alcohol in concentrations of 70% and 90%, and either are fine. Note: Do not spray the solution directly on your LED screen. This could damage your screen.
Get a good cloth
It’s important to choose something to wipe your screen with that’s absorbent, soft enough to not scratch the screen, and won’t leave lint or fibers. Microfiber cloths are the perfect choice. They work great at preventing smudges and they dry quickly, so you can use them again and again. Simply wipe the cloth on the screen, then continue wiping down all the surfaces of the LED, including metal and plastic. Try to remove any loose dust in an initial wipe. Next, spray the solution on the cloth and wipe again, starting at the top of the display and working your way down. When cleaning anything, always clean from the top down, not the bottom up, so that lint, dust, and moisture fall away.
Let it air dry
Once you’ve thoroughly cleaned your display, let it air dry at room temperature. If you used a good cloth and didn’t saturate it with solution, it shouldn’t take more than a minute or so.
Turn it back on
When you’re sure your LED wall is fully dry, plug it back in and turn it on. It should work as good as new.
The process is easy, and should be part of your regular scheduled maintenance to keep your LEDs running properly.